Chapter 10: Into The Lair of The Beast
To say the Yeerks had picked a good hiding spot for the entrance would be a lie. Anyone can walk into the disabled toilets, and it would only take a dropped phone or wallet for someone to accidentally press the button. We didn't have any trouble finding it, and soon we were free falling down past layers of rocks and sand. Before we hit the bottom, compressed air shot out from beneath us, slowing our descent to a heavy thud at the base of the shaft.
"Lead the way," Jake said to me. "You know where they're keeping them." I looked around, trying to see through the gloom. I didn't really get a good look at things when I made my escape, so I morphed the hawk again. Flapping my wings hard, I rose through the thick air, keeping close to the wall so I wouldn't be seen. Then I spotted it. A small building next to a row of cages. There were people in the cages, and I could hear them screaming from all the way up here, sobbing helplessly or just staring into space, not making a sound. It's over near the cages, that grey plasterboard one, I called down to the others. I dove back to the shaft and started to demorph. if there was going to be a throw-down, I wanted to see their faces when they realized I was the one who escaped. The fact that I had zero practice fighting as hawk was a minor factor. Besides, Tobias was already flying cover from above, seeing as he didn't have to morph.
< Any time you like guys. We've got two Hork Bajir by the infestation pier, as per normal, but none anywhere else that I can see. Must be a quiet day for the... Whoa! What the heck is that? >
"Ax, could you ask Tobias what he can see," asked Jake. Ax relayed the message in thought-speak.
< Tobias, Prince Jake wishes to know what it is that you have spotted that caused you such alarm. >
< I don't know what it is. It looks like a... Well the closest thing I can think of is a werewolf, only more human-ish. > An image popped into my head of a large, shaggy haired wolf standing on its hind legs, holding a large gun, glaring at something with a piece of bloody flesh dropping from its teeth.
"It's called an Eraser, a wolf-human hybrid that they use as guards around the School," I said. The others just stared at me. "Hey. I don't know. It just sort-of came out. It's like my mouth had a mind of its own."Jake looked a bit flustered.
"Ok, once we're done here, you and Tobias need to have a talk about someone called the Ellimist." I shrugged. It could wait.
"Are we just going to stand here talking or are we going to liberate a possible army, because I'm getting kinda jumpy," said Rachel. Jake nodded, and everyone began morphing their combat animal of choice. Marco was morphing something hairy, as were Cassie and Rachel, and Jake had huge claws growing from his fingers. Ax just stood there impassively, his stalk eyes rotating freely, keeping an eye out for Controllers. Soon, before me stood a tiger, a gorilla, a wolf and a bear.
< Lets do this! > Three guesses who that was. The others all ran of to create mayhem and destruction while I took a running start. I flapped hard and joined Tobias near the top of the domed roof.
"Hey Tobias, could I ask you something? Jake told me to ask you about someone called the Ellimist. Whats the story there?"
< The Ellimist is a being of enormous power who lives in a different plane of reality to us. He uses us as pieces in a giant game of chess between himself and another being called Crayak. Crayak is what could only be described as pure evil. He wants to destroy the galaxy, but the Ellimist is holding him back. They have these rules that prevent them from interfering directly, but that doesn't stop him bending the rules every now and then. I helped him rescue a group of Hork Bajir and he created a hidden valley for them. In return, he gave me my morphing powers back. The only catch is that he left me in my hawk body. If I ever want to be human again, I have to morph. > I thought for a bit.
"If he's so powerful, could he make a thought appear in my head? Because I recognized those wolf things, even though I've never seen one."
< Definitely. That's how he led me to the hidden valley. I had this image in my mind, clear as day, yet I'd never been there. > Suddenly he dived down to the fight below. I realised that I should probably be down there too, and folded my wings in. The wind whipped my hair into my face and made my eyes tear up before I swooped down to land on the roof of the School. Well, more of through the roof than on it. Plaster fell around me, and more than a few pieces hit me on the head. The people in the cages just stared at me. After all, it's not every day that someone falls through the roof of a secret lab. I ran over to the first cage and unlocked it.
"Hey, I'm Max. We're here to get you out."